San Antonio Hams

The word I’m getting from the different clubs around the Ssn Antonio metro area, is that in compliance with the various emergency health declarations, all in-person club meetings and test sessions have been canceled.

Several clubs are experimenting with using various forms of Teleconference services, such as Freeteleconferences.com, Skype, or Zoom. One group was overheard suggesting they all get on their club repeater and hold a net.

<gasp!> What will they think of next?

As of this morning, I’ve been told by different VE groups that they will be unable to hold test sessions until the ban on social gatherings (greater than 10) has been lifted.

While ROOST holds their exams at their own clubhouse, they posted on Facebook this morning that they are suspending their 1st & 3rd Saturday VE exams for the time being.

SARC holds theirs on the 4th Saturday in even numbered months, so perhaps the crisis will be over before the end of April?

AARO holds theirs the 3rd Saturday of odd numbered months, which would have been today, March 21st.

GVARC holds quarterly exams in New Braunfels, but the facility normally used has been placed on usage restrictions, which prevents them from using it.

KARS normally offers test sessions after their monthly meetings, but since they can’t hold their meetings in-person, no exam sessions will be possible.

IMPORTANT UPDATE
The National MS Society is closely monitoring the latest developments of the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic and we are taking proactive steps to protect people affected by MS, our event participants and the broader MS community.

Based on recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we will not host the 2020 edition of Bike MS: Texas MS 150 in person. (Scheduled date had been first wknd of May)

Instead, we will continue to fuel life-changing breakthroughs for people affected by MS through an exciting virtual fundraising experience.

Additionally, we will also announce a special one-day cycling celebration for this fall. .

http://www.arrl.org/news/dayton-hamvention-announces-cancelation-of-2020-show

For the first time in its 68-year history, Dayton Hamvention® will not take place this year, due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak. The glum news was not entirely unexpected, given widespread cancelations of public gatherings and a national state of emergency. 

“The Hamvention Executive Committee has been monitoring the COVID19 pandemic. We have worked very closely with our local and state health departments. It is with a very heavy heart the Hamvention Executive Committee has decided to cancel Hamvention for this year,” Hamvention General Chair Jack Gerbs, WB8SCT, said in announcing the cancelation on March 15. “This decision is extremely difficult for us, but with around 2 months until the Great Gathering we felt this action necessary. More specific details regarding the closure will soon be posted. Thank you for your understanding in this time of international crisis.”

The San Antonio Fiesta Commission announced on March 13th that they were postponing Fiesta until the month of November. Of course that caused the Wildflower bicycle event to get postponed as well.

The rescheduling will possibly cause conflicts with Wurzfest in New Braunfels, but since the Tour de Gruene ride event was cancelled in 2019, it is unlikely to cause problems with the Wildflower ride.

The BikeMS Ride to the River event will be the month before, in October, so there ought not to be much of an affect there either. The Wildflower isn’t a fundraiser ride on the scale of the BikeMS ride, so folks who solicit their friends for the BikeMS BikeMS won’t need to do it again so quickly.

As of 3/15, 2 clubs have announced that their membership meetings normally held on the third Tuesday each month, will be canceled or changed to Teleconference (using FreeTeleconference.com).

South Texas DX Contest Club has canceled their March 17th meeting that is normally held at Bobby J’s Hamburger restaurant in Helotes, TX.

Hill Country REACT Team normally meets on the third Tuesday at the Methodist Stone Oak Hospital on Sonterra & Hardy Oak, in the cafeteria. They always have teleconferencing set up for those members who cannot attend in person. But due to the Hospital implementing new restrictions on unnecessary / non-critical access into their building, the entire meeting will be held by Teleconference. Contact info@hillcountryreact.org for more details.

I’ve not been advised of any other cancellations by area clubs, but please use reasonable caution before attending any such gatherings. If you aren’t healthy or fall into the age brackets most affected by this virus, think about your options before going. We want all of our aging hams to stay with us for as long as possible and no, I did not just invite all of you to come live with me. Lol

It is with great disappointment that I am announcing the official cancelation of the WCARC Swapfest that was to be held on March 21st.

This decision is being made due to the recent government announcements and recommendations regarding gatherings of 250+ people or more amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. Many venues have already shut down gatherings and churches have begun holding services online to help prevent the spread of the virus.

Our venue is one that has chosen to follow the CDC and government instructions and has also shut down their facilities for the next few weeks. It is in our best interest amid these announcements and closures to follow suit as well and honor our venue’s closure decision.

I am currently looking to potentially reschedule this event for a possible May/June timeframe. Announcements regarding a possible reschedule will come in the next few weeks as the greater Austin area monitors the progress of the COVID-19 virus.

Please watch your email inbox over the next several weeks for additional information regarding rescheduling and other information.

Jay Archibald (K5MBK)
Swapfest Coordinator
Williamson County Amateur Radio Club

The March 5th meeting will be at the Boerne Police Station located at 124 Old San Antonio Rd in Boerne. 

The EMS building will be in use for the next 5 months with equipment setup for a paramedic class. 

We will be meeting at the Boerne PD through July and then back to the EMS Building in August.  Sorry for the inconvenience, but after all it is an EMS building. Meeting is from 7 pm to 9 pm. 

Enter through the front door of the police department and there will be an open door to the right into the training room.  Please do not show up too early as the doors will not be open.

See ya’ll Thursday night. 

Rod K9ROD